Clarence r



No. 6l|,473. Patented SBp. 27, |898.

C. R. GILLETT.

METHQD 0F AND APPARATUS FUR GENERATING ACETYLENE GAS.

TM: Nomus Prrzws co, PNcToLlmo., wAswNo'roN. u. c

. existing at the retort.

CLARENCE R. GILLET'I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY W. Y LEMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ACETYLENE GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 61 1,473, dated September 27, 1898.

Application filed August 26, 1898. Serial No. 689,543. (No model.) i

To cir/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, CLARENCE R. GILLETT, a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas, of which the following is hereby declared to be a full, clear,

and exact description.

The invention designs to sensitively control the supply of Water iiowing from a coniined storage-tank into the carbid-retort by compelling the feed to proceed under denite tension-#L1 e., pressure at the tank-accord ing to the demand in the consumption-circuit, as this is reflected by the resultant pressure When the retort-pressure falls below an assigned normal or what niay be termed the definite maximum, Water begins to flow from the tank and thereupon persists until the selected normal at the retort is exceeded. Further watersupply then becomes checked or suspended and is not resumed until the retort-pressure again drops below the normal. The tension over the tank-supply is kept practically constant irrespective of changes in the water volume at the tank and also irrespective of any excess pressure condition which may exist at the retort. If a given Water volume in a confined tank be diminished so that the gas-space above it is doubled, it is plain that the tension exerted becomes only one-half. Into such rareed medium the surplus gas, which constitutes the retort-pressure, would generally force its way. The tendency always is to establish an equilibrium between the pressure at the retort and the tension at the tank.4 The invention prevents thisand yet assures uniformity of Water iniow, dependent merely upon consumption needs and essentially independent of the gradually lessening volume of water present in the storage-tank. Unless the tension at the tank be kept practically constant the evolution of gas at the retort becomes irregular-i. e., either suddenly excessive should the tank-tension markedly increase or else feebly insufficient should such tension gradually wane. rlhese irregularities are wholly avoided. According to the invention the gasv evolved at the carbid-retort may go directly into the main pipe-line or distribution-circuit without passing through an intermediate gasometer or like storagereservoir. By this `provision space and outlay are economized, repairs and disorders are lessened, While the product is higher in quality than if subjected to gasometer exposure.

In automatic apparatus of the Water-supply sort when consumption ceases at the burners the aim is to stop the inflow of water at the carbid-retort and thus to arrest the further generation of gas; but the action is not exact. There is aptto be a residual evolution of gas, due to the presence of surplus Water in the retort. The coniined pressure accumulates and would become excessive unless relieved by safety-vent or by providing a gasonieter. Relief by safety-vent means Waste. Objections to the gasonieter have already been stated. The invention designs to hold the water inflow at the retort in closer and more sensitive control. Residual evolution is minimized, the subsidiary volume of gas being retained by the retort without undue pressure and Without reflecting an excess tension upon the main supply of water at the feed-tank.

The exact nature of the improvements will appear in det-ail from the description following and be pointed out by claims at the conclusion.

On the` drawing which accompanies" one form of apparatus suitable for practice of the invention is shown in longitudinal section, With some of the parts displayed in elevation.

` The retort A for the carbid is conveniently cast in box-like form with an open or exposed front after the fashion of a burglar'- proof safe. A door to'close against the jamb of the retort front is carried by upper and lower curved arms hinged thereto near its central Vertical line. Said arms are also hinged at opposite ends in lugs projecting from the side of the ret ort at the front corners. By such expedient the door can close flat against a gasket at the jamb and be secured gas-tight by suitable eyebolts or like fastener extended at intervals between companion lugs on the edge of the door and the body of the retort. When the door is open, all-parts of the retort interior are freely accessible.

At about its mid-height the retort carries the horizontal internal ledges 4:1 to sustain the carbid-tray 40, having wire-cloth or like ICO open bottom. A deep pan 49 rests upon the floor of the retort to serve as a receptacle for spent lime and possible surplus Water. Vhen the door is open, the pan can be easily emptied and replaced and the tray be relled with its charge.

A short shaft 44, extended through stuffing-box 45 and its cap 46, carries internally7 a cam-disk 43 and is furnished at its outer end with crank-arm 47. By turning the crank-arm the disk 43 impinges against the face of tray-frame 40 to shake the tray up and down and thus to dislodge the spent-lime powder. A clip 4S, suspended beneath tray 40, may receive a lump of carbid suicient to put the apparatus under desired pressure at the outset. 0n turning crankarrn 47 the piece of carbid is dislodged from clip 48 by the shaking of tray 40 and drops into a minor film of water at the pan 49 beneath. Thereupon acetylene gas is developed and forces its way from the retort into the water-tank and the distribution-circuit, as presently detailed.

VVater-tank 63 is mounted conveniently above the retort by pipe 62,which is threaded to a reducer-coupling 70,said coupling screwing in turn into an opening at the tank bottom. The casin g of a stop-valve 7l, here shown as an ordinary one-way check-valve, is joined to the protruding end of pipe 62 and may be coupled to a turn-cock 72, united below to the outer terminal of a percolator 56. Hand turn-cock 7 2 can be dispensed with. Percolator 56 is threaded to and projects within the carbid-retort and preferably contains a wad 57 of wick or like obstructive septum serving as a water-distributer. Cowl 58 screws onto the lower end of a percolator 56 and carries a pendent curtain 59, slit, as shown, and which may be made from some suitable capillary fabric. Disk GO, perforated at the mouth of the percolator, clamps the curtain 59 to cowl 58. The disk and cowl are properly riveted together andthe rivets soldered over to prevent the water from seeping past them. From tank 63 the water emerges through vent 64 into pipe 62 and thence past valve 7l and cock 72 into percolator 56, saturating wad 57 and eventually the curtain 59. With equal pressures existing at the tank and in the retort there will generally be no drip of water onto the carbid. Vad 57 suffices to obstruct the iniiow. Moreover, check-valve 7l by aid of its spring will ordinarily remain tightly closed upon its seat under mere condition of like pressures at both tank and retort, acting thus to sustain the tank-water against any chance drip or casual infeed.

To provide for the water flow, it is necessary that the tension at the tank shall become superior to the pressure existing in the retort, and, besides, generally sufficient to overcome the resistance of check-valve 7l. Ordinarily an even tension of, e. g., five pounds exerted over the free surface of water Vis seen that a slight drop in pressure at the retort, due, e. g. to withdrawal of gas in the consumption-circuit, speedily establishes a subnormal in the retort su liicient to induce a iiow of water from the tank. The degree of tension existing at the tank will determine the rapidity of infeed.

Various expedients may serve to supply and sustain the desired pressure over the confined Water-supply at the tank. Thus, as displayed by the drawing, an educt, which, as here shown, may conveniently be the exit-pipe 50, constituting in effect an extension of the retort proper, leads the gas from the retort and by conduit 73 unites overhead with the top of tank 63. Areduction-valve 74, of any approved pattern, such as shown, and a checkvalve 75, opening` toward the tank, are interposed in conduit 73. By adjusting its plunger valve 74 can be set to close at, e. g., five pounds. Admission of gas to tank G3 in excess of such selected limit is thereupon prevented, insuring an even tension of, e. g., five pounds over the free surface of the liquid. The reduction-valvel opens automatically to admit an additional supply of gas to the tank whenever the tension there drops below the chosen limit. Instead of discharging directly over the water the gas can deliver into an expansion-bag contained in the water-tank. Check-valve 7 5 prevents any back leak of gas from the tank. This is a necessary precaution if the gas be derived from the retort or from the main line, since it is plain that the gas at the tank would otherwise drain away on any sudden draft coming from the consumption-circuit. The pressure-reducer and check-valve mechanism are thus shown to coact not only in admitting an isolated volume of gas to the tank distinct from the main supply, which never passes through the tank, but also serves to conline such minor volume against any material escape of loss in tension. Under pressure of the confined gas it is plain that the feed will occur, although the watertank were set at the level or below the carbidretort. By mounting the tank above, as here shown, merely less pressure is requisite to compel an infeed.

Conduit 73 to the tank 63 may lead from retort A by an educt separate from that which pertains to exit-pipe 50, appropriate to the main line. Indeed, the requisite tank-tension need not be derived from the retort but be established instead, as by use at intervals of a simple hand-pump connected with conduit 73, or, again, by uniting conduit 7 3 with the train-pipe of a car brake system or like source of supply which may automatically IOO IIO

ways a tension superior to that needed in tank 63, it is clear that check-valve 75 be` comes superfluous in the absence of any back draft away from the tank. However derived, it is obvious that the volume of gas conined at the tank exerts its tension to feed the .water into the retort whenever the pressure at the retort falls lower than the assigned normal by reason of the exit of gas from the retort into the' main line for con sumption.

As already explained, check-valve 7l can be nicely balanced to allow for the flow of water from tank 63, but so as to close snugly against its seat if the gas at the retort exerts an opposite pressure-e. g., five pounds or more-upon the valve. By such provision water tank 63 is relieved from excessive strain, while the tension of the gas confined therein never mounts to impel an undue feed of water. The precaution is important, especially if conditions be extreme-as, for instance, when a sudden draft comes upon the retort for a maximum volume of gas to supply a multitude of burners simultaneously lighted. Under copious evolution the gas must tend to force its way through pipe 62 into the tank, but stop-valve 7l checks this tendency and holds the tank-tension at the definite uniform limit assigned thereto, such limit ranging as appears, e.' g., from three to six pounds pressure, none of which pressure would exist were the tank open to the air.

The main supply of gas iinds convenient exit from the retort, as at pipe 50. Trap 54,

having petcock 55, enables the condensible products to be tapped off at intervals. Globevalve 5l closes the distribution-circuit when, for example, the retort needs to be opened for replenishing. As here shown, the linepipe from the retort carries a reducing-valve 76 similar in structure to valve 74, but adjusted to close at a nominal pressure-e. g., one-half pound, more or less-on the delivery side.

The presence of the reducing-valve 76 enables the main line to deliver gas at the various burners under practically uniform tension. A gasometer may be employed instead or in conjunction therewith but its presence is superiiuous and ordinarily undesirable. The pressure at the consumption side is generally much lower than at the retort side of the reducing-valve; but as the gas passes off at the burners the lessening tension finally allows valve 76 to open and to admit afurther volulne of gas from the retort to the distribution-circuit. Thus at times the gas may be stored at the retort under pressure, e. g., of twenty pounds, especially if the apparatus has remained inactive or has been subjected to sudden draft upon its store and consequent rapid inflow of water. reducing-Valve 76 controls the escape, and,

Whatever the cause,

despite the comparatively heavy pressure at the retort, none the less governs the tension on the distribution-circuit and holds the gas at low pressure merely sufficient to provide proper feed at the burners.

Generally it is not desirable to maintain a pressure in the main-line circuit much exceeding one-half to one pound; but if the joints are tight and the burners easily adjustable the pressure can be higher. In such event the conduit 73 may lead directly from the line-pipe to the tank, the reducing-valve 74 being dispensed with as superiiuous, while the single reducing-valve 76 is made to act in dual capacity, controlling the pressure on the line and in the Water-tank as well. The presence of check-Valve 75 in conduit 73 would still serve to prevent undue escape of the conned volume from the water-tank if some sudden exhaust-draft comes upon the main line.

Should water-feed Valve 7l, interposed in pipe 62 between tank 63 and percolator 56, fail temporarily to act for any cause, the result will be to quickly establish an equal pressure of gas at the tank and in the carbid-retort beneath. Under such condition wad 57 restrains the iiow of water. No additional volume will discharge into the retort unless and until the pressure there falls below the tension in the tank. This reduction in pressure ensues when the consumption-circuit is open, which means that the generation of gas will thereupon proceed automatically according to the demand and despite the disorder of valve 7l. Eventually the tension at the tank must gradually increase. Owing to this objection and the consequent risk, it is plain that due care must be taken to keep valve 7l in working order.

In lieu of the simple check-valve actuated directlyV by gas-pressure from the retort a turn-cock can be inserted across the waterfeed tube and be controlled, as well understood, by means of a spring-piston, which is made to shift under varying conditions of retort-pressures.

A safety-vent at the water-tank may be employed to relieve any excess pressure, such as might accumulate there were valve 7l inactive. Save for the exceptional condition noted the safety-vent would stay unopened. Tube 65, closed gas-tight by cap 66, is inserted in tank 63 and admits the water-supply. Tube 65 overflows and denotes when the tank is sufficiently full.

Obviously the details of structurecan be varied according to the mechanics skill with out departing from the essentials of the improvement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is`

l. The method of generating acetylene from metallic carbids which consists in establishing a definite, uniform gas-pressure upon the confined Watersupply, and when such pres- IOO IIO

sure exceeds that present at the carbid charge, injecting the Water thence under the resultant superpressure onto said charge, intermittently checking the iniiow under extra normal pressure of the evolved gas and, as evolution proceeds, automatically maintaining such definite pressure on the confined water-l supply to keep the same essentially even despite the Variations in pressure of the evolved gas, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the carbid-retort and with the line-pipe leading therefrom to the distribution-circuit, of the close watersupply tank, the feed-tube intermediate said tank and retort and having a stop-valve to check the iiow of Water from tank to retort through said tube and suitable means for establishing a deinite, uniform gas-pressure at the water-tank so as to inject the Water thence by such pressure when the same exceeds that present in the retort, and for automatically maintaining the definite gas-pressure at said tank despite the variations in pressure at the retort, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the carbid-retort and with the line-pipe leading therefrom to the distribution-circuit, of the close watersupp'ly tank, the feed-tube intermediate said' tank and retort, the stop-valve to check the flow of water from tank to retort through said tube, a pressure-pipe leading into said tank and the reducer and check-valve mechanism to allow delivery of gas at definite tension by said pipe into said tank and to there detain it under practically uniform pressure, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the Water-supply tank and with the carbid-retort, of the intermediate feed-tube, the stop-valve to check the flow of Water from tank to retort through said tube, the pressure-pipe in communication between retort and tank, and the reducer and check-valve mechanism to deliver gas at definite tension by said pipe from retort to tank and there detain it under practically uniform pressure, substantially as described.

5. The combination With the carbid-retort and with the water-supply tank, of the intermediate feed tube having one way checkvalve therein, the line-pipe leading from the retort to the distribution -circuit and furnished with a reduction-valve, and the pressure-conduit interposed between the retort and tank, discharging into said tank and having a reduction-valve and separate checkvalve therein, substantially as described.

CLARENCE R. GILLETT.

Witnesses:

Orfro S. HELLWIG, JAMES H. PEIRcE. 

